Taylor Lake Boat Landing Gets New Pavement

The Taylor Lake boat landing on the Waupaca Chain O' Lakes received new pavement, just before the Memorial Day weekend, as part of an improvement program started last fall when new concrete aprons were put in under the water. Click "older posts" at the bottom of this page to see pictures of last fall's boat landing improvement project.

The Waupaca County Parks Department has made lots of improvements to all the Chain boat landings which has made them easier to use and more accessible. The County took over the landings from the Towns of Dayton and Farmington several years ago.

Liquor and Wine Available at Chain BP SOON

Chain BP owner Mel Harn has been happy lately as his busy season is about to begin and, the Town of Dayton Board voted to continue to allow beer sales till 10 PM and, starting July 1st as the sign points out, liquor and wine package sales until 9 PM.

MONSTER FISH LURKS IN WAUPACA LAKE

The following is from the Appleton Post Crescent - a few years ago:

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. But closer to home, there’s a real creature of monster proportions, lurking in the depths of tine Dake Lade on the Waupaca Chain O’ Lakes, according to Waupaca resident Jack Bittman.

“Twelve years ago, conservation warden Jim Rice received work of a lake sturgeon in distress in the Crystal River. The fish (they’re sometimes called ‘living fossils’) had made some bad choices making turns during the spawning urn and was almost beached in the shallow water. Jim enlisted the aid of friend and neighbor, Sid Miller. “Jim is retired now but remembers the rescue vividly. He recalls how he reported his projected activity to his superior. ‘I have to go out this morning and rescue a sturgeon!’ “The sturgeon was a large female, measuring 58 inches. The length generally fits a mature fish, about 28 years old. Considering that lake sturgeon can live to 75, she had some life left.

Together, the men swamped a small boat and loaded the fish into what became a portable tank. “Knowing the limited oxygen available to the fish…Rice decided to trailer the sturgeon to the nearest boat landing on the chain, on Dake Lake. Once there, they backed the swamped boat into the water allowing the sturgeon to swim off. Rescue mission accomplished. “From time to time, people have seen the fish. Without knowing the story, it can be difficult for them to relate to a very large rapidly swimming fish.

For example, my neighbor, Dmitri Martin, came upon the fish wile canoeing with his wife, Laurie. He only told me of the sighting because he was quite sure I wouldn’t laugh at him. He thought it was a shark. He knew that was impossible, but how do you reconcile seeing a fish he thought was almost as long as his canoe that probably weighed over 100 pounds?

“Hyperbole aside, the sturgeon today is prospering in Dake Lake. I saw her last week. She probably weights over 80 pounds and has grown the standard inch per year plus for the past 12 years. If she lives out her span, she could get to 8 feet long and 300 pounds. “Yes, there are prehistoric monsters in Dake Lake. Happy fishing and swimming.”

Chain Bar Gets Add on Roof